


Rain

by Lassarina



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 03:47:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7206065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lassarina/pseuds/Lassarina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rain still makes Yukiko's shoulders tighten.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rain

**Author's Note:**

> For genprompt_bingo, "Weather" square.

The first drop of rain splashed against Yukiko's nose. She couldn't help flinching as she flipped up the hood of her raincoat; the forecast called for four consecutive days of rain, starting immediately.

Beside her, Chie reached out and linked her arm through Yukiko's. It was comforting, especially as the chill January air slid under Yukiko's raincoat. She leaned into her friend, glad that Chie understood without words.

"It'll be fine," Chie said cheerfully.

"I know," Yukiko replied, but even to herself her words sounded hollow.

"Tell you what," Chie said, grasping Yukiko's hand and swinging their arms together like they had when they were little. "I could stay over tonight. We can watch TV and be sure it's done."

"I know I'm just being gloomy," Yukiko protested.

"Hey." Chie stopped and turned to face her. "I get it." She gave Yukiko's shoulder a light punch, much gentler than she would have done for any of the boys.

"Thank you, Chie," Yukiko said, and then she couldn't get any more words out, because the lump in her throat prevented it.

It felt strange not to gather at Junes with the rest of the Investigation Team, even though it'd been weeks since they'd had the need to meet up. Strange how quickly the normal things, like spending a Saturday afternoon hanging out after school without fighting Shadows, had become bizarre. They stopped off in the shopping district to pick up snacks and some new manga, and stuck their heads into Tatsumi Textiles, where Kanji was working on one of his stuffed pink alligators that he couldn't seem to keep on the shelves.

They stopped at Chie's house to arrange the sleepover, and pick up dry clothes. By the time they made it to the Amagi Inn, they were both drenched through despite raincoats and umbrellas. Yukiko was shivering so hard her teeth chattered by the time she got her wet things and shoes properly arranged, and they hurried to change into dry clothes and settle by the kotatsu.

She was halfway through her history homework when Chie said "It's not gonna happen."

Yukiko looked up and found Chie looking intently at her, her hands clenched into fists where they rested above the futon.

"It's not gonna happen," Chie repeated, flexing her fists as though she could punch the lingering fear of the Midnight Channel. "We'll be fine." Her voice caught a little, and Yukiko realized that under her bright cheer, Chie was just as scared as she was.

She laid one hand, finally warm from her cup of tea, over Chie's and squeezed. "We'll be fine," she agreed, and even if neither of them believed it, they could pretend.

Not wanting to think about the Midnight Channel made it surprisingly easy to be industrious about her homework, and Yukiko had finished her last assignment by the time her mother served dinner. She and Chie gathered around the kotatsu with her family, watching TV and talking about the business of the inn.

Midnight found them in their pajamas, tucked into Yukiko's futon together and staring at the little TV in the corner. The room was dimly lit by the front lights of the inn, glowing eerily through Yukiko's curtains. She jumped every time a shadow moved, only to let her breath out slowly when it turned out to be a tree branch lashed by the wind.

"It's gonna be fine," Chie said again, and Yukiko hoped with all her heart her friend was right. They stared at Yukiko's bedside clock, the little glowing hands moving with agonizing slowness. Closer and closer, until finally they overlapped, and both girls' gazes snapped to the TV as if magnetized.

She found herself holding her breath as she stared. Was that the whine of a TV tuning, or just her imagination? Did the screen brighten, or not? Long minutes ticked by, and she was almost sure it wasn't going to happen—

Her phone chirped an incoming text message, and both girls clapped their hands to their mouths to stifle their sounds of alarm. Yukiko grabbed her phone and looked. The text was from Rise. _Checked the Midnight Channel. Nothing there! We really did it, guys!_

Yukiko took a deep, gasping breath, lightheaded from holding it so long, and quickly typed back. _We really did! See you at school._

She set the phone aside and, without words, she and Chie curled up side-by-side. For the first time in months, the sound of the rain on her window was soothing, not terrifying, as she drifted off to sleep.


End file.
